Today we will just list them and over the next few weeks I will be adding some flesh, as it were, to these headings. But let’s start by agreeing that Payroll departments are traditionally quite, stuck at the back departments, with staff that are seen as “the administration Type”. As payroll we are not expected to be relevant. We are expected to be efficient and quite. Not contributing to the bottom line or heaven forbid to be asked to contribute to any strategic goals that the company may have. (There are some payroll people who are up there and strategic)
I want to be relevant. As a payroll professional I want to add to the well being of the company I work for and be recognized for the contribution I make to my companies success. So how do we become relevant and irreplaceable?
There are 10 areas that I think we can make a significant difference and, given the right tools, skills and knowledge we can be superstars.
1) We have to be accurate, efficient and deadline driven.
2) Automating procedures and standards (cut out the manual)
3) Employee tax and keeping everyone legal
4) Financial counselors to employees
5) Source of information for accounting and management information systems
6) We are the gate keepers of the policy
7) Moral compass and often conflict resolution specialist
8) Historian of all payroll data (what happened 5 years ago)
9) Trend reader and fortune teller
10) Confidant so many people expect us to keep their secrets.
If we do all these things well we will become relevant. If you are in a small company and don’t have a payroll department, then your person who does your payroll should be performing these duties.
Alternatively your outsource partner is ideally situated to do this for you.
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